


The Shadows Move

by mekana47



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: 5+1 Things, Gen, M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-05
Updated: 2018-06-05
Packaged: 2019-05-18 09:28:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14850164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mekana47/pseuds/mekana47
Summary: Neil jerks back, his mind whirling with ways to attack before he recognizes the man. He’s never going to forget the man who stopped him on campus months ago and led him to Ichirou.-or-Five times Ichirou's man dropped in on Neil and one time he didn't.





	The Shadows Move

1.

The sun is just beginning to set when the Foxes leave the stadium after an evening practice. The upperclassmen split off to Matt’s truck and Allison’s car, and the freshmen disappear to their own cars. Andrew and Aaron didn’t return from their session with Bee, so only Nicky and Kevin trail Neil to the Maserati. 

As Neil digs out the keys, a movement against the wall catches his attention. He jerks back, his mind whirling with ways to attack before he recognizes the man. He’s never going to forget the man who stopped him on campus months ago and led him to Ichirou.

“You will come with me,” the man says.

Kevin’s breath hitches over his shoulder, but Neil just nods. If the man is willing to approach him in front of the other Foxes, Neil isn’t likely to end up dead. 

“It will only take a moment,” the man says, turning his back on the trio and following the sidewalk around the stadium and out of sight.

“Wait here,” Neil says and jogs after the man. Nicky sputters something Neil doesn’t catch before Kevin cuts him off.

The man stops beside a dark car, but he doesn’t step into it. Neil stops just outside of the man’s arm span and waits.

“A message for you,” the man says. “We won’t be taking any more action on the California issue.”

Neil cocks his head and crosses his arms over his chest. “You came here in person to tell me that?”

The man’s expression doesn’t change. “Some of them have been taken care of. Some of them will be up to you.”

Oh. If everyone involved in Drake’s appearance suddenly disappeared, it’d be a bigger threat to the Moriyamas than leaving some of them alive to testify. Neil just has to make sure none of the survivors spill Moriyama secrets with their testimonies.

“I understand.”

The man flicks his eyes over Neil’s expression and nods once. “Go.”

Neil takes two steps back, not willing to turn his back on the man just yet. When the man reaches backwards and opens the car door, Neil turns and heads back to the others.

Nicky’s asking questions as soon as Neil’s in sight, but Neil ignores him and climbs into the driver’s seat. 

“What did Jun want?” Kevin asks. His hands shake as Neil turns over the engine. 

Neil doesn’t answer.

2.

Neil slips the parking tag on his rearview mirror and pulls around Eden’s to the usual lot. It’s strange meeting Andrew here instead of being together in the car, but Neil’s been getting used to a lot of new things as a fifth-year senior, including this car he parks. 

He locks the car, noting that Andrew’s Maserati isn’t there yet, and walks back to the club and his teammates. As Neil turns the corner, the line to get into Eden’s in sight, a man walking the opposite direction stops in front of him.

Neil rears back, but when his eyes lock on Jun’s face, he stands still. He hasn’t seen the man in three years, but he’s just as intimidating as Neil remembered.

Neil presses his mouth into a thin line. “Yes?”

“You know Charles Frank?”

It takes a moment to put the name with a face from his childhood. “I don’t think I ever spoke with him, but I saw him a few times at my father’s house.” 

He wants to ask why, but he knows to be careful with his responses.

“Hmm,” Jun flicks his eyes around them, but they don’t look out of place on this block and he has to know Neil’s teammates have no reason to come looking for him. 

“He put a hit out on you yesterday,” Jun says. 

Neil rocks back on his heels, his mind scrambling with the patterns he makes. How easy is it to find him these days? Who will get hurt when someone shows up at the dorm in the middle of the night? 

Jun’s voice breaks in. “Any idea why he’d do that?”

Neil forces himself to focus. “He wants to take over the Baltimore territory and thinks I still have a claim on it?”

Jun doesn’t say anything as he stares into Neil’s eyes.

Neil stands strong under scrutiny even as he runs through possible scenarios. Jun’s hands are buried in his dark trench coat so Neil knows there’s probably a gun aimed at him.

Jun hums, “Why would he think you have a claim?”

“Heredity, I guess. Maybe he thinks if I ever make a move, enough people might back my play? I don’t know. I don’t want the territory. I thought I’d made that clear.”

The scrutiny begins again. Then Jun’s shoulders relax enough that he must have been squeezing the gun pretty hard, and Neil has just passed some sort of test.

“He’s dead.”

Neil nods. That either means the Moriyamas took him out themselves or more likely they put a hit on him to show the others what happens to people who go after Neil. Charles wasn’t going to get the territory anyway. He’s too much a small time player. Neil’s relieved to know he has the protection but also concerned about whether the Moriyamas will want more from him in exchange. 

“Thank you.” 

Jun scrutinizes his face once more before he steps to the side and walks down the sidewalk. Neil watches him blend into the other people walking in the area. Then Neil rushes to the front of the line. 

Andrew’s going to be pissed when he hears about this.

3.

Neil’s feet feel light on the pavement as he loops back into the park and around the lake. Sweat runs down his back, but he doesn’t slow his pace. The trail dips into a wooded area, but Neil doesn’t pay much attention to his surroundings. After his announcement last night, he’s expecting exy fans and maybe some paparazzi to try to hound him at his apartment today, but he doesn’t expect the man in the black coat waiting just after a bend.

Neil slows his pace until he stops in front of Jun. The man looks the same as he did that night in Columbia four years ago.

“Denver?” 

Jun still goes straight to the point too.

Neil swipes his forehead on the bottom of his shirt before straightening. “Yes, I signed with Denver last night.”

“Why?”

Neil’s head twitches in a shake. “Why what? New York doesn’t want me anymore.”

“No.” Both of Jun’s hands are in plain sight, but he’s still dangerous. “Houston offered you more money.”

“They did,” Neil nods a little surprised that someone in the Moriyama organization was watching him that closely. They hadn’t interfered when he chose his first two professional teams, but he understands that they want to maximize their profits.

“Houston’s notorious for overworking their players,” Neil continues. “I took a tour there last week, and even I could see how beat up they were. Houston offered me more money for now, but my career would’ve been shorter. You would’ve lost money in the long run.”

Neil doesn’t mention that he still isn’t sure the Moriyamas will let him live once he can’t play anymore. Kevin’s convinced they won’t care. Jean’s sure they’ll be dead within hours, and Neil just doesn’t want to stop playing.

Jun raises an eyebrow. “You aren’t shorting your deal to be on the same team as your boy?”

“No.” Neil flattens out his expression as if that can keep Andrew safe.

Joining Andrew’s team was a benefit, but he wasn’t lying about Houston. Visiting the facility was just a courtesy before he turned them down. 

Jun doesn’t say anything, and Neil waits him out. He doesn’t need to fill the silence.

“Keep paying on time, and this won’t be a problem.”

Neil nods. “Of course.”

Jun jerks his head toward the path, and Neil takes the hint. He bounces on his toes twice before picking up his run. He takes a more direct route to his apartment than he’d planned, but suddenly the paparazzi don’t seem so bad.

4.

Six months after Neil moves to Denver, he returns to his and Andrew’s apartment from a grocery run. Andrew’s doing an appearance at the Boys and Girls Club across the city, so the movement in the dark has him dropping his bags and reaching for the nearest weapon.

“Don’t,” the voice rings out, crisp and sharp.

Neil only freezes because he recognizes Jun’s voice.

“What do you want?” Neil asks, his arms carefully out to his side, the tub of ice cream rolling toward the couch.

“Shut the door and turn on the light. Phone on the table.”

Neil turns slowly, still not sure if there’s a weapon aimed at him or not. He pushes the door shut and flicks on the lights before setting his phone and keys on the table and turning back to the room.

Jun stands at the dining room table his trench coat moving around him, so Neil doesn’t know what he’s just put away. “Come over here.”

Neil crosses the room, noting the absence of the cats but he doesn’t say anything.

“Sit.” 

Swallowing hard, Neil drops into the seat. Jun pushes Neil’s own laptop toward him. “Log into your bank.”

Neil opens the laptop, goes to his bank’s website, and logs in. While it’s loading, he takes another look around for the cats.

“They’re in the bedroom,” Jun says. “They’re both fine.”

Neil nods because there’s not really anything to say to that. Jun hands him a post-it note with a series of numbers.

“Change your deposit to this account.”

Neil tries not to focus on the man hovering over his shoulder as he makes the changes. Once the scheduled transfer is finalized, Jun leans over him and compares the numbers.

“Good,” he says, taking a step back. 

Neil doesn’t move until he hears the unmistakable grinding click of a lighter. He skids out of his chair away from the noise and jerks around. His heart races, and his breaths are too quick.

Jun stays perfectly still, his hands raised a little in front of him and his expression almost apologetic. His thumb holds one of Andrew’s cigarette lighters against his palm, but the bowl on the counter has a fire in it. It only takes a moment to recognize the post-it turning to ash.

“There wasn’t an easier way to change the account?” Neil asks, but he knows this is the most secure way. He’s already forgotten the numbers and no one has evidence that he even knows where the money is going.

Jun ignores the question as Neil expected. Instead, he sets the lighter on the counter and moves the bowl of smoldering ashes to the sink. Then he crosses back to the table. He glances at the laptop once more before nodding and heading to the door. 

Neil’s adrenaline rush has almost settled, but he doesn’t bother to move until the door clicks shut. Then he dives across the room for his phone. He considers sending a text to Andrew, but that conversation can wait until Andrew isn’t surrounded by children. Instead, he sends Kevin a simple “Call me” before he puts away the groceries and goes to check on the cats. 

If he still feels like he can’t get a full breath, he ignores it.

5.

Neil’s flipping through channels, his toes tucked under Andrew’s leg when the front door flies open. He rolls over the arm of the couch at the first sound, berating himself for ever feeling so comfortable in this house.

“Stop.” 

The voice cracks through the house, and Neil finds himself freezing in his crouch. Jun steps into the doorway, his gun out and aimed at Andrew’s chest.

“Back on the couch, Josten.”

Neil looks to Andrew, but Andrew’s staring at the gun like he’s considering how quickly he can cross the distance. They all know it won’t be quick enough.

Holding his hands away from his sides, Neil rises out of his crouch and moves back on the cushion.

“Hands on your knees,” Jun says, taking one step inside but not closing the door. “Both of you.”

Neil drapes his hands on his knees and feels Andrew sit up straighter to do the same.

“What’s going on?” Neil asks. If he hasn’t been shot yet, there’s hope that this is just a conversation. He doesn’t think he’s done anything that should warrant an armed visit, so he definitely doesn’t deserve to be shot.

“Where are your knives?” Jun asks instead.

“In the bedroom,” Neil spits. “We didn’t think we’d need them in our home.”

They’ve only lived in this house a few months, but it’s better than the three rentals they had before.

Jun raises an eyebrow at Neil’s tone he’d guess, but the man looks over both their wrists and seems satisfied enough to close the door. Jun takes another step forward, but his gun doesn’t waiver from Andrew. Neil hates the way that makes his stomach knot.

“Talk to me about Stuart.”

“My uncle?” Neil asks even though it couldn’t be anyone else. “What about him?”

“When’s the last time you talked to him?”

Neil blows out a noisy breath, but he’s alert enough not to move. “Not since the night Riko died, so, what… twelve years now? We never had a relationship. He was just a means to get necessities for a while.”

“And you don’t owe him a favor for taking out your father?”

Andrew shifts, so Neil holds completely still. The gun hasn’t waivered, but Neil thinks he might know what’s going on.

“No,” Neil shakes his head. “I’m glad he did it, but he didn’t do it for me, and he knows not to get me involved in whatever he’s up to these days. I’m not interested, and he knows your boss wouldn’t be too happy knowing he’d put me at risk.”

Jun doesn’t say anything, and asking what’s happened isn’t going to get Neil anywhere.

Eventually, Jun shifts and says, “If someone took him out, would you need to avenge him?”

“I wasn’t even sure he was still alive anyway.” Neil watches as King walks over to Jun and weaves around his ankles, but Jun’s focus never wavers. “I have no loyalty to my uncle.”

Jun looks from Neil to Andrew, but Andrew doesn’t say anything. 

“Stuart Hatford will be dead in a few days.”

“I understand.”

“Nothing will change. For either of you.”

Neil doesn’t have anything else to say, and he’s not going to make promises on Andrew’s behalf. Jun lowers the gun, but he doesn’t put it away. Neil’s certain he would get a shot off before either of them could do anything, so he stays where he is.

“I heard about Houston’s striker,” Jun says.

“Knees are a fragile thing,” Neil confirms, an ugly smile pulling at his lip.

Jun nods once before grabbing the door knob behind him. As soon as Jun steps outside, Andrew launches to his feet but he doesn’t step toward him. The door clicks shut, and Neil sags into the couch.

Andrew moves to the window, nudging the curtain aside to watch the retreat. “So that’s your watchdog?”

“Yeah.”

“Risky coming for you with both of us here.”

Neil shakes his head even though Andrew’s still watching outside. “No, he knew if he had to take me out then he was going to have to take you out too. Easier to clean up one scene than two.”

Andrew hums but doesn’t sound like he’s agreeing. 

Neil scoops up King and heads for the bedroom. Andrew will want to have his knives on hand for a while now, even though Neil got the message. He was right about not going to Houston, so they’ll trust his word for now.

+1

Neil shouts out his return as he steps inside from his evening run. Andrew calls a greeting from the kitchen, so Neil detours on the way to the shower. He doesn’t need to run anymore, but it settles his mind and his mind needs the quiet after the last few days.

Stepping into the kitchen, a large bouquet of flowers catches his attention.

“Flowers?” Neil asks. 

Andrew slides something in the oven. “Delivery about 20 minutes ago.”

Neil frowns.

“The card might mean something to you.” Andrew nods toward the envelope next to the vase.

Neil crosses over to the flowers, curious. Only his agent, his publicist, and Andrew know about his impending retirement, and none of them would send him flowers for it. He slides the card out and reads the two lines of type out loud.

“Now I can retire. --J”

He snorts and flips over the card but there’s nothing on the back, not even a flower company logo. He looks up to Andrew’s blank face and shakes his head. 

“I guess if I’m retired, my watchdog gets to retire too.”

The tension around Andrew’s eyes lessens, and he glances to the flowers again.

“At least he didn’t stop by in person this time,” Neil mutters.

“I knew the delivery guy looked familiar.”

Neil’s head whips around but he can’t tell if Andrew’s joking or not. Neil throws the card at him and turns from the kitchen. He should have time for a quick shower before his publicist announces his retirement, and he becomes the talk of the sports channels one last time.


End file.
